China’s Covert Influence in Australia Growing, Expert Warns

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A national security expert warns that China’s secretive interference in Australia is escalating, despite the Australian Labor Party government’s efforts to stabilize relations with Beijing.

A leading national security expert has warned that covert Chinese interference in Australia is becoming a persistent threat, with Beijing intensifying efforts to advance its domestic and international agenda. Rory Medcalf, head of the National Security College at Australian National University, stated in a Sky News interview on August 5, 2025, that China’s activities, including espionage and influence operations, are now a “new norm” for Australia. This follows the Australian Federal Police (AFP) charging a Chinese national with “reckless foreign interference” for allegedly spying on the Canberra-based Guan Yin Citta Buddhist association under the direction of China’s Public Security Bureau, as reported by ABC News on August 4, 2025.

Medcalf highlighted that China’s tactics target diaspora communities, universities, and political systems, citing a 2020 Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI) report that detailed programs like the Thousand Talents Plan, which recruits overseas researchers, as a national security risk. The Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) has noted increased attempts to monitor and intimidate Chinese-Australian communities, with Director-General Mike Burgess calling such interference an “appalling assault” on Australia’s sovereignty, per an AFP statement. The recent case, the third foreign interference charge since 2018 laws, underscores the growing challenge, with police seizing electronic devices for forensic analysis after raids in Canberra.

The Australian Labor Party government, led by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, has sought to normalize trade relations with China, Australia’s largest trading partner, with exports reaching $153 billion in 2024, according to the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. However, critics argue this approach underestimates Beijing’s strategic ambitions. Shadow Foreign Minister Simon Birmingham warned on Sky News that prioritizing trade over security risks long-term vulnerabilities, especially given China’s history of political donations and media influence, as exposed in a 2019 ABC Four Corners investigation.

Medcalf urged stronger countermeasures, including public awareness campaigns and stricter enforcement of the 2018 Espionage and Foreign Interference Act. With ASIO reporting a 20% rise in interference cases since 2022, the opposition calls for a tougher stance to protect Australia’s democratic institutions and national interests.